Glass-plate working apparatus

ABSTRACT

A glass-plate working apparatus includes: a glass plate carrying-in section; a main cut-line forming section disposed in proximity to the glass plate carrying-in section; a glass plate bend-breaking section disposed in proximity to the main cut-line forming section; a glass plate peripheral-edge grinding section disposed in proximity to the glass plate bend-breaking section; and a glass plate carrying-out section disposed in proximity to the glass plate peripheral-edge grinding section, wherein each of the main cut-line forming section, the glass plate bend-breaking section, and the glass plate peripheral-edge grinding section is arranged to concurrently process two glass plates.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a glass-plate working apparatus formanufacturing, for example, window glass for an automobile, such as afront window, a side window, and a rear window, panes for buildings, andother glass plates of predetermined configurations by bend-breakingunworked plate glass into a given configuration and by grinding abend-broken edge of the bend-broken glass plate.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, in a conventional glass-plate working apparatus of thistype, a glass-plate carrying-in section and a main cut-line formingsection in proximity to the glass-plate carrying-in section aredisposed. In this main cut-line forming section, a given main cut linefor bend-breaking is formed on unworked plate glass, and then theunworked plate glass on which the main cut line for bend-breaking hasbeen formed is transported to a glass plate bend-breaking section whichis disposed in proximity to the main cut-line forming section. In theglass plate bend-breaking section, an edge cut line is formed on theunworked plate glass on which the main cut line has been formed.Subsequently, the unworked plate glass on which the main cut line andthe edge cut line have been formed is subjected to bend-breaking. Thebend-broken edge of the bend-broken glass plate is ground in a glassplate peripheral-edge grinding section which is disposed in proximity tothe glass-plate bend-breaking section.

With the glass-plate working apparatus described above, since theformation of a main cut line, bend-breaking, and grinding are carriedout with respect to one glass plate at a time in the main cut-lineforming section, the glass plate bend-breaking section, and the glassplate peripheral-edge grinding section, respectively, it takes arelatively long working time, resulting in a decline in productivity.

The present invention has been devised in view of the above-describedaspects, and its object is to provide a glass-plate working apparatuswhich is capable of concurrently effecting the formation of main cutlines, bend-breaking, and peripheral-edge grinding with respect to amultiplicity of glass plates, thereby making it possible to reduce theworking time and improve productivity.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a glass-plateworking apparatus which is capable of effecting a multiple operation inthe bend-breaking section which requires a relatively long working time,thereby making it possible to further reduce the working time andimprove productivity.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, the above objects are attainedby a glass-plate working apparatus comprising: a glass plate carrying-insection; a main cut-line forming section disposed in proximity to theglass plate carrying-in section; a glass plate bend-breaking sectiondisposed in proximity to the main cut-line forming section; a glassplate peripheral-edge grinding section disposed in proximity to theglass plate bend-breaking section; and a glass plate carrying-outsection disposed in proximity to the glass plate peripheral-edgegrinding section, wherein each of the main cut-line forming section, theglass plate bend-breaking section, and the glass plate peripheral-edgegrinding section is arranged to concurrently process at least two glassplates.

The glass-plate working apparatus may further comprise: a transportingdevice for concurrently transporting at least two glass plates from theglass plate carrying-in section to the main cut-line forming section,from the main cut-line forming section to the glass plate bend-breakingsection, from the glass plate bend-breaking section to the glass plateperipheral-edge grinding section, and from the glass plateperipheral-edge grinding section to the glass plate carrying-outsection, respectively. In this case, the transporting device ispreferably so constructed as to transport the at least two glass platesarranged in series in a transporting direction, and the main cut-lineforming section, the glass plate bend-breaking section, and the glassplate peripheral-edge grinding section are respectively arranged toconcurrently process the at least two glass plates arranged in series inthe transporting direction.

In a preferred example, the main cut-line forming section is providedwith at least two main cut-line forming heads and a common moving devicefor relatively moving the at least two main cut-line forming heads withrespect to the respective glass plates. Each of the main cut-lineforming heads is provided with a cutter, preferably a cutter wheel, forforming a main cut line by coming into contact with the glass plate, andthe main cut-line forming section in this case is provided with a commonblade orienting device for orienting a blade of each of the cutters ofthe main cut-line forming heads in a main cut-line forming direction.The common blade orienting device may have a rotating device forrotating each of the main cut-line forming heads about an axisperpendicular to a plane of relative movement of each of the maincut-line forming heads with respect to the glass plate.

As a preferred example of the glass plate bend-breaking section, it ispossible to cite one which is provided with at least two bend-breakingheads for the glass plates to be bend-broken, as well as a moving devicefor moving each of the bend-breaking heads in correspondence with acorresponding one of the glass plates to be bend-broken. Here, it ispossible to cite as one example a glass plate bend-breaking section inwhich each of the bend-breaking heads has a cutter device for forming anedge cut line on the glass plate and a press-breaking device forpress-breaking the glass plate along the main cut line and the edge cutline.

The glass plate peripheral-edge grinding section in one example isprovided with at least two grinding heads and a common moving device forrelatively moving the at least two grinding heads with respect to theglass plates. Each of the grinding heads is provided with a grindingwheel for grinding a bend-broken edge while coming into contact with thebend-broken edge of the glass plate while rotating. In the case wherethe grinding wheel is provided, the glass plate peripheral-edge grindingsection has a center orienting device for orienting a center of rotationof each of the grinding wheels of the grinding heads in a tangentialdirection at a grinding point with respect to the glass plate. As apreferred example of this center orienting device, it is possible tocite one which has a common rotating device for rotating the grindingheads about an axis perpendicular to a plane of relative movement of thegrinding heads with respect to the glass plate.

In the glass-plate working apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention, main cut lines are concurrently formed in the main cut-lineforming section with respect to at least two glass plates from the glassplate carrying-in section. The at least two glass plates on which themain cut lines are formed are concurrently subjected to bend-breaking inthe glass plate bend-breaking section. Edges of the bend-broken glassplates are concurrently subjected to grinding in the glass plateperipheral-edge grinding section, and are then transported to the glassplate carrying-out section.

Hereafter, a detailed description will be given of the present inventionon the basis of preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings. Itshould be noted that the present invention is not limited to theseembodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a glass plate bend-breaking section inaccordance with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

EMBODIMENTS

In FIGS. 1 to 3, a glass-plate working apparatus 1 in accordance withthis embodiment comprises a glass plate carrying-in section 2; a maincut-line forming section 3 disposed in proximity to the glass platecarrying-in section 2; a glass plate bend-breaking section 4 disposed inproximity to the main cut-line forming section 3; a glass plateperipheral-edge grinding section 5 disposed in proximity to the glassplate bend-breaking section 4; and a glass plate carrying-out section 6disposed in proximity to the glass plate peripheral-edge grindingsection 5. Each of the main cut-line forming section 3, the glass platebend-breaking section 4, and the glass plate peripheral-edge grindingsection 5 is arranged to concurrently process two glass plates 7 at atime.

The glass-plate working apparatus 1 is further provided with atransporting device 11 for concurrently transporting two glass plates 7,which are to be processed or have been processed, from the glass platecarrying-in section 2 to the main cut-line forming section 3, from themain cut-line forming section 3 to the glass plate bend-breaking section4, from the glass plate bend-breaking section 4 to the glass plateperipheral-edge grinding section 5, from the glass plate peripheral-edgegrinding section 5 to the glass plate carrying-out section 6,respectively. The transporting device 11 is so constructed as totransport the two glass plates 7 arranged in series in a transportingdirection A, and the main cut-line forming section 3, the glass platebend-breaking section 4, and the glass plate peripheral-edge grindingsection 5 are respectively arranged to concurrently process the twoglass plates 7 arranged in series in the transporting direction A.

The glass plate carrying-in section 2 has, among others, a supportingbase 16 attached to a base 15 as well as rollers 17 which are rotatablyattached to the supporting base 16 so as to position the respective twoglass plates 7, i.e., unworked plate glass, which are placed on thesupporting base 16 and arranged in series in the transporting directionA.

The main cut-line forming section 3 is comprised of a supporting device21 for supporting the glass plates 7 from the glass plate carrying-insection 2; two main cut-line forming heads 23 and 24 for forming maincut lines 22 for bend-breaking on the respective glass plates 7supported by the supporting device 21; a common moving device 25 forrelatively moving the two main cut-line forming heads 23 and 24 withrespect to the glass plates 7 in correspondence with the main cut lines22 for bend-breaking to be formed; and a common blade orienting device27 for orienting the blade of a cutter wheel 26 of each of the maincut-line forming heads 23 and 24 in the main cut-line forming direction.The supporting device 21 is constituted by a supporting base 29 attachedto a slider 28.

Since the main cut-line forming heads 23 and 24 are formed in a mutuallysimilar manner, a description will be given hereafter of only the maincut-line forming head 23. Similar portions of the main cut-line forminghead 24 will be denoted by corresponding reference numerals, and adescription thereof will be omitted. The main cut-line forming head 23is provided with the cutter wheel 26 and a pneumatic cylinder unit 31having a piston rod with the cutter wheel 26 attached to a distal endthereof. The pneumatic cylinder unit 31 is mounted on a bracket 32 bymeans of an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the initial position ofthe cutter wheel 26 in the X-Y direction. When the pneumatic cylinderunit 31 of the main cut-line forming head 23 is actuated, and its pistonrod is hence extended, the cutter wheel 26 is pressed against the glassplate 7 placed on the supporting base 29, thereby forming the main cutline 22.

The blade orienting device 27 is constituted by a rotating device forrotating the main cut-line forming heads 23 and 24 in an R directionabout a Z1 axis and a Z2 axis which are perpendicular to the plane ofmovement of the main cut-line forming heads 23 and 24 by the movingdevice 25, i.e., the X-Y plane in this example. The blade orientingdevice 27 is comprised of a slider 35 fitted to a pair of guide rails34, which extend in the X direction in parallel to each other, in such amanner as to be movable in the X direction; an electric motor 36supported by the slider 35; a rotating shaft 39 rotatably supported bythe slider 35 and connected to an output rotating shaft of the electricmotor 36 via a reducing gear 37, a pulley and a timing belt 38; bevelgears 40 and 41 secured to the rotating shaft 39; and Z-axis members 46and 47 rotatably supported by the slider 35 by means of bearings 44 and45, respectively, the Z-axis embers 46 and 47 being respectively securedat upper ends thereof with bevel gears 42 and 43 respectively meshingwith the bevel gears 40 and 41, and at lower ends thereof with thebracket 32. The pair of guide rails 34 are mounted on an upper frame 48,and the upper frame 48 is supported by the base 15 by means of avertical frame 49.

As for the blade orienting device 27, as the electric motor 36 isoperated, the rotating shaft 39 is rotated by means of its outputrotating shaft, the reducing gear 37, the pulley and the timing belt 38.As the rotating shaft 39 is thus rotated, the Z-axis members 46 and 47are respectively rotated about the Z1 axis and the Z2 axis in the Rdirection by means of the bevel gears 40 and 41 and the bevel gears 42and 43. Then, the main cut-line forming heads 23 and 24 mounted on thebracket 32 are respectively rotated concurrently about the Z1 axis andthe Z2 axis in the R direction. At the time of the formation of the maincut lines 22, the blades of the respective cutter wheels 26 of the maincut-line forming heads 23 and 24 are oriented in the direction in whichthe main cut lines 22 are formed.

The moving device 25 is provided with an X-direction moving unit 51 formoving the main cut-line forming heads 23 and 24 in the X-direction anda Y-direction moving unit 52 for moving the glass plates 7 in theY-direction. The X-direction moving unit 51 has an electric motor 55mounted on the upper frame 48 as well as a screw shaft 58 which isrotatably supported by the upper frame 48 and is threadedly engaged withnuts 57 secured to the slider 35, the rotation of an output shaft of theelectric motor 55 being transmitted to the screw shaft 58 by means of apulley and a belt 56 and the like. As the electric motor 55 is operated,and its output rotating shaft is rotated, the screw shaft 58 is rotatedby means of the pulley and the belt 56 and the like so as to move theslider 35 in the X direction and to move the main cut-line forming heads23 and 24 mounted on the slider 35 by means of the Z-axis members 46 and47 and the bracket 32 in the X direction.

The Y-direction moving unit 52 has an electric motor 61 mounted on thebase 15 as well as a screw shaft 64 which is connected to an outputrotating shaft 62 of the electric motor 61 and is threadedly engagedwith nuts 63 secured to the slider 28. The slider 28 is mounted movablyin the Y direction on a pair of guide rails 65 extending in the Ydirection in parallel to each other and disposed on the base 15. Thescrew shaft 64 is rotatably disposed on the base 15. As for theY-direction moving unit 52, as the electric motor 61 is operated, andits output shaft 62 is rotated, the screw shaft 64 is rotated to movethe slider 28 in the Y direction. As the slider 28 is thus moved in theY direction, the main cut-line forming heads 23 and 24 are relativelymoved in the Y direction with respect to the glass plates 7 placed onthe supporting base 29 supported by the slider 28.

The glass plate bend-breaking section 4 is provided with a supportingdevice 71 for supporting the glass plates 7 from the main cut-lineforming section 3; four bend-breaking heads 74, 75, 76, and 77 forforming edge cut lines 72 for bend-breaking on the glass plates 7supported by the supporting device 71, and for pressing predeterminedpositions 73, 73, . . . on the glass plates 7 on which the cut lines 22and 72 have been formed, so as to bend-break the glass plates 7; andbend-breaking head moving devices 78, 79, 80, and 81 for relativelymoving the bend-breaking heads 74, 75, 76, and 77, respectively, withrespect to the glass plates 7 supported by the supporting device 71, incorrespondence with the edge cut lines 72 for bend-breaking which are tobe formed as well as the predetermined positions 73, 73, . . . on theglass plates 6 to be pressed.

The supporting device 71 is provided with a belt conveyor 88 having aflexible endless belt 85, a plate-like supporting member 86 forsupporting the endless belt 85 on the reverse side thereof, and atraveling device 87 for traveling the endless belt 85. The travelingdevice 87 is provided with an electric motor 91 mounted on the base 15,a driving drum 93 connected to an output rotating shaft 92 of theelectric motor 91 by means of a pulley and a belt 93 and the like androtatably supported by the base 15, and a driven drum 94 rotatablysupported by the base 15. The endless belt 85 is trained between thedriving drum 93 and the driven drum 94. In the supporting device 71 inwhich the glass plates 7 subject to bend-breaking are placed on theendless belt 85, after completion of one bend-breaking operation, if theendless belt 85 is made to travel in a B direction by the rotation ofthe output rotating shaft 92 due to the operation of the electric motor91, bend-broken scrap 95 (cullet) remaining on the endless belt 85 isdischarged toward a chute (not shown). As a result, after the completionof one bend-breaking operation, the bend-broken scrap 95 slides on thechute, and is discharged into a bend-broken-scrap storing box 96.

Since the bend-breaking heads 74, 75, 76, and 77 are formed in amutually similar manner, respectively, a description will be givenhereafter of only the bend-breaking head 74. Similar portions of thebend-breaking heads 75, 76, and 77 will be denoted by correspondingreference numerals, and a description thereof will be omitted. Thebend-breaking head 74 is provided with a cutter device 101 for formingthe edge cut line, as well as a press-breaking device 102 forpress-breaking the glass plates 7. Although the cutter device 101 is notillustrated in detail, the cutter device 101 is arranged in the same wayas the main cut-line forming head 23, and is provided with a cutterwheel and a pneumatic cylinder unit having a piston rod with the cutterwheel attached to a distal end thereof. The press-breaking device 102 isprovided with a pressing member 103 and a pneumatic cylinder unit 104having a piston rod with the pressing member 103 attached to a distalend thereof. The pneumatic cylinder unit of the cutter device 101 andthe pneumatic cylinder unit 104 of the press-breaking device 102 aremounted on a common slider 105.

As for the cutter device 101, when its pneumatic cylinder unit isactuated, and its piston rod is hence extended, the cutter wheel ispressed against the glass plates 7 placed on the endless belt 85,thereby forming the edge cut lines 72. When the pneumatic cylinder unit104 of the press-breaking device 102 is actuated, and its piston rod ishence extended, the pressing member 103 is pressed against the positions73, 73, . . . on the glass plates 7 placed on the endless belt 85,thereby slightly straining the glass plates 7 and bend-breaking theglass plates 7 along the cut lines 22 and 72. Although the cutter device101 is not illustrated, the cutter device 101 is provided with a bladeorienting device for orienting the blade of the cutter wheel in thedirection in which the cut lines are formed.

Since the bend-breaking head moving devices 78, 79, 80, and 81 areformed in a mutually similar manner, a description will be givenhereafter of only the bend-breaking head moving device 78. Similarportions of the bend-breaking head moving devices 79, 80, and 81 will bedenoted by corresponding reference numerals, and a description thereofwill be omitted. The bend-breaking head moving device 78 relativelymoves the bend-breaking head 74 in the X-Y plane with respect to one ofthe glass plates 7 supported by the supporting device 71. Thebend-breaking head moving device 78 is provided with an X-directionmoving unit 111 for moving the bend-breaking head device 74 in the Xdirection as well as a Y-direction moving unit 112 for moving thebend-breaking head device 74 in the Y direction. The X-direction movingunit 111 has a frame 114 extending in the X direction and mounted on aslider 113, an electric motor 115 provided at one end of the frame 114,as well as a screw shaft 117 which is connected to an output rotatingshaft of the electric motor 115, is rotatably disposed on the frame 114,and is threadedly engaged with nuts secured to a slider 116. The slider116 is suspended by being fitted in a pair of guide rails (not shown)which extend in the X direction in parallel to each other and areattached to the frame 114, such that the slider 116 is movable in the Xdirection. The screw shaft 117 is rotatably supported by the frame 114.As for the X-direction moving unit 111, the electric motor 115 isoperated to rotate its output rotating shaft so as to rotate the screwshaft 117. As the screw shaft 117 is rotated, the slider 116 is moved inthe X direction, and the bend-breaking head 74 is also moved in the Xdirection by means of the slider 105.

The Y-direction moving unit 112 has a frame 120 mounted on the slider116 and extending in the Y direction, an electric motor 121 provided atone end of the frame 120, as well as a screw shaft (not shown) which isconnected to an output rotating shaft of the electric motor 121, isrotatably disposed on the frame 120, and is threadedly engaged with nutssecured to the slider 105. The slider 105 is fitted in a pair of guiderails which extend in the Y direction in parallel to each other and areattached to the frame 120, such that the slider 105 is movable in the Ydirection. As for the Y-direction moving unit 112, the electric motor121 is operated to rotate its output rotating shaft so as to rotate thescrew shaft. As the screw shaft is rotated, the slider 105 is moved inthe Y direction, and the bend-breaking head 74 is also moved in the Ydirection by means of the slider 105.

The bend-breaking heads 74 and 75 and the bend-breaking head movingdevices 78 and 79 are allotted to predetermined areas of one glass plate7 to effect the formation of the edge cut lines 72 and thepress-breaking operation. Meanwhile, the bend-breaking heads 76 and 77and the bend-breaking head moving devices 80 and 81 are allotted topredetermined areas of the other glass plate 7 to effect the formationof the edge cut lines 72 and the press-breaking operation.

The glass plate peripheral-edge grinding section 5 is provided with asupporting device 121 for supporting the glass plates 7 from the glassplate bend-breaking section 4; two grinding heads 123 and 124 forgrinding respective bend-broken edges 122 of the glass plates 7supported by the supporting device 121; a common grinding-head movingdevice 125 for relatively moving the grinding heads 123 and 124 withrespect to the glass plates 7 supported by the supporting device 121, incorrespondence with the bend-broken edges 122 of the glass plates 7 tobe ground; and common center orienting devices 127 for orienting therotational centers of respective grinding wheels 126 of the grindingheads 123 and 124 in tangential directions at grinding points on theglass plates 7.

The supporting device 121 has a slider 131 and two vacuum sucking units132 and 133 provided on the slider 131, and sucks, supports, and fixesthe respective glass plates 7 from the glass plate bend-breaking section4 by means of the corresponding vacuum sucking units 132 and 133 duringthe grinding and polishing of their bend-broken edges 122.

Since the grinding heads 123 and 124 are arranged in a mutually similarmanner, a description will be given hereafter of only the grinding head123. Similar portions of the grinding head 124 will be denoted bycorresponding reference numerals, and a description thereof will beomitted. The grinding head 123 is provided with a grinding wheel 126 andan electric motor 127 having an output rotating shaft to a lower end ofwhich the grinding wheel 126 is secured, so as to rotate the grindingwheel 126. The electric motor 127 is mounted on a bracket 129 by meansof an adjusting mechanism 128 for adjusting the initial position of thegrinding wheel 126 in the X-Y-Z direction. As the grinding wheel 126 isrotated due to the operation of the electric motor 127, the grindinghead 123 grinds and polishes the bend-broken edge 122 of the glass plate7.

The center orienting devices 127 are each constituted by a grinding-headrotating device for rotating the grinding heads 123 and 124 in the Rdirection about a Z3 axis and a Z4 axis which are perpendicular to theplane of movement of the grinding heads 123 and 124 by the grinding-headmoving device 125, i.e., the X-Y plane in this example. The centerorienting device 127 is provided with a slider 172 fitted to a pair ofguide rails 171, which extend in the X direction in parallel to eachother, in such a manner as to be movable in the X direction; an electricmotor 173 supported by the slider 172; a rotating shaft 176 rotatablysupported by the slider 172 and connected to an output rotating shaft ofthe electric motor 173 via a reducing gear 174, a pulley and a timingbelt 175; bevel gears 177 and 178 secured to the rotating shaft 176; andZ-axis members 183 and 184 rotatably supported by the slider 172 bymeans of bearings 181 and 182, the Z-axis members 183 and 184 beingrespectively secured at upper ends thereof with bevel gears 179 and 180respectively meshing with the bevel gears 177 and 178, and at lower endsthereof with the bracket 129. The pair of guide rails 171 are mounted onthe upper frame 48.

As for the center orienting device 127, as the electric motor 173 isoperated, the rotating shaft 176 is rotated by means of its outputrotating shaft, the reducing gear 174, and the pulley and the timingbelt 175. As the rotating shaft 176 is thus rotated, the Z-axis members183 and 184 are respectively rotated about the Z3 axis and the Z4 axisin the R direction by means of the bevel gears 177, 178, 179, and 180.Then, the grinding heads 123 and 124 mounted on the bracket 129 arerespectively rotated about the Z3 axis and the Z4 axis in the Rdirection. At the time of the grinding and polishing of the bend-brokenedge 122, the grinding wheels 126 are each oriented such that the centerof rotation of the relevant grinding wheel 126 is located above thenormal line of the bend-broken edge 122 at the grinding and polishingposition.

The grinding-head moving device 125 is provided with an X-directionmoving unit 191 for moving the grinding heads 123 and 124 in theX-direction and a Y-direction moving unit 192 for moving the glassplates 7 in the Y-direction. The X-direction moving unit 191 has anelectric motor 193 mounted on the upper frame 48 as well as a screwshaft 199 which is rotatably supported by the upper frame 48 and isthreadedly engaged with nuts 198 secured to the slider 172, the rotationof an output shaft 194 of the electric motor 193 being transmitted tothe screw shaft 199 by means of a pulley and a belt 196. As the electricmotor 193 is operated, and its output shaft 194 is rotated, the screwshaft 199 is rotated by means of the pulley and the belt 196 so as tomove the slider 172 in the X direction and to move the grinding heads123 and 124 mounted on the slider 172 by means of the Z-axis members 183and 184 and the bracket 129 in the X direction.

The Y-direction moving unit 192 has an electric motor 201 mounted on thebase 15 as well as a screw shaft 204 which is connected to an outputrotating shaft 202 of the electric motor 201 and is threadedly engagedwith nuts 203 secured to the slider 131. The slider 131 is mountedmovably in the Y direction on a pair of guide rails 205 extending in theY direction in parallel to each other and disposed on the base 15. Thescrew shaft 204 is rotatably disposed on the base 15. As for theY-direction moving unit 192, as the electric motor 201 is operated, andits output shaft 202 is rotated, the screw shaft 204 is rotated to movethe slider 131 in the Y direction. As the slider 131 is thus moved inthe Y direction, the grinding heads 123 and 124 are relatively moved inthe Y direction with respect to the glass plates 7 placed on the vacuumsucking units 132 and 133 supported by the slider 131.

The glass plate carrying-out section 6 is provided with a belt conveyor213 having a plurality of flexible endless narrow belts 211 disposed inparallel to each other and a traveling device 212 for causing theendless belts 211 to travel. The traveling device 212 is provided withan electric motor 215 mounted on a frame 214 on the side of the base 15;a plurality of drive rollers 219 connected to an output rotating shaft216 of the electric motor 215 via a pulley and a belt 217 and the likeand rotatably supported on the frame 214 by means of a shaft 218; and aplurality of driven rollers 221 rotatably supported on the frame 214 bymeans of a shaft 220. The endless narrow belts 211 are trained betweenthe drive rollers 219 and the driven rollers 221. As for the glass platecarrying-out section 6, as the electric motor 215 is operated, and itsoutput rotating shaft 216 is rotated, the shaft 218 is rotated by meansof the belt 217 so as to move the endless narrow belts 211 in the Cdirection and to carry out the glass plates 7 placed on the endlessnarrow belts 211 from the glass plate peripheral-edge grinding section 5in the C direction.

The transporting device 11 is provided with eight lifting devices 232 to239 respectively mounted on the slider 113 by means of a bracket 230 andthe like as well as a moving device 240 for moving the slider 113 in theX direction. Each of the lifting devices 232 to 239 has a vacuum suctionhead 241 for sucking and holding the glass plate 7 under a vacuum and apneumatic cylinder unit 242 having a piston rod in which the vacuumsuction head 241 is attached to a distal end thereof, so as to raise andlower the vacuum suction head 241 when the pneumatic cylinder unit 242is actuated. The slider 113 is fitted movably in the X direction to apair of guide rails extending in the X direction in parallel to eachother and disposed on the underside of the upper frame 48.

The moving device 240 has an electric motor 251 mounted on the upperframe 48 as well as a screw shaft 254 which is rotatably supported bythe underside of the upper frame 48 and is threadedly engaged with nutssecured to the slider 113, the rotation of an output shaft of theelectric motor 251 being transmitted to the screw shaft 254 by means ofa pulley and a belt 253 and the like. As the electric motor 251 isoperated, and its output rotating shaft is rotated, the screw shaft 254is rotated by means of the pulley and the belt 253 so as to move theslider 113 in the X direction and to move the lifting devices 232 to 239mounted on the slider 113 by means of the bracket 230 and the like inthe X direction.

As a result of the movement in the X direction of the lifting devices232 to 239 by the moving device 240 and the sucking, holding, andlifting of the glass plates 7 by the lifting devices 232 to 239, theglass plates 7 supplied onto the supporting base 16 are transported ontothe supporting base 29, the glass plates 7 which are placed on thesupporting base 29 and on which the main cut lines 22 have been formedare transported onto the endless belt 85, the bend-broken glass plates 7on the endless belt 85 are transported onto the vacuum sucking units 132and 133, and the glass plates 7 which are placed on the vacuum suckingunits 132 and 133 and whose edges 122 have been ground and polished aretransported onto the endless narrow belts 211. The placing onto thesupporting base 29 of the glass plates 7 supplied onto the supportingbase 16 is effected by the lifting devices 232 and 233; the placing ontothe endless belt 85 of the glass plates 7 which are placed on thesupporting base 29 and on which the main cut lines 22 have been formedis effected by the lifting devices 234 and 235; the placing onto thevacuum sucking units 132 and 133 of the bend-broken glass plates 7 onthe endless belt 85 is effected by the lifting devices 236 and 237; andthe placing onto the endless narrow belts 211 of the glass plates 7which are placed on the vacuum sucking units 132 and 133 and whose edges122 have been ground and polished is effected by the lifting devices 238and 239.

It should be noted that the glass-plate working apparatus 1 is providedwith a numerical controller in addition to the above-described devices.The numerical controller controls the above-described operation and theoperation which will be described below, by a program which has beenstored in advance.

The two glass plates 7 are first positioned and placed on the supportingbase 16 of the glass plate carrying-in section 2 by means of the rollers17 and the like. As a result of the reciprocating motion in the Xdirection of the slider 113 of the transporting device 11, the glassplates 7 placed on the supporting base 16 are transported onto thesupporting base 29; the glass plates 7 which are placed on thesupporting base 29 and on which the main cut lines 22 have been formedare transported onto the endless belt 85; the bend-broken glass plates 7placed on the endless belt 85 are transported onto the vacuum suckingunits 132 and 133; and the glass plates 7 which are placed on the vacuumsucking units 132 and 133 and whose edges 122 have been ground andpolished are transported onto the endless narrow belts 211.

In the main cut-line forming section 3, each of the main cut-lineforming heads 23 and 24 actuates the pneumatic cylinder unit 31 to pressthe cutter wheel 26 against the glass plate 7 placed on the supportingbase 29. In the state in which the cutter wheel 26 is pressed againstthe glass plate 7, the moving device 25 moves the respective one of themain cut-line forming heads 23 and 24 in the X direction by means of theX-direction moving unit 51, and moves the glass plate 7 placed on thesupporting base 29 in the Y direction by means of the Y-direction movingunit 52. Consequently, the preprogrammed main cut line 22 is formed onthe glass plate 7 placed on the supporting base 29 by means of thecutter wheel 26. During the formation of the cut line 22, the electricmotor 36 is operated to orient the blade of the cutter wheel 26 in thedirection in which the main cut line 22 is formed After all the main cutlines 22 have been formed, the pneumatic cylinder unit 31 is actuated toraise the cutter wheel 26, thereby setting the operation in the initialstate.

In the glass plate bend-breaking section 4, as a result of the loweringof the cutter wheel of the cutter device 101 as well as the movement ofthe bend-breaking head 74 in the X and Y directions due to the operationof the X-direction moving device 111 and the Y-direction moving device112, the preprogrammed edge cut lines 72 are formed on the glass plates7 placed on the endless belt 85 by the cutter wheel of the cutter device101. After the formation of the edge cut lines 72, the pressing member103 is pressed against the preprogrammed positions 73, 73, . . . on theglass plates 7 placed on the endless belt 85 by the projection andretraction of the pressing member 103 due to the actuation of thepneumatic cylinder unit 104 of the press-breaking device 102 and by themovement of the bend-breaking head 74 in the X and Y directions due tothe operation of the X-direction moving unit 111 and the Y-directionmoving unit 112. Consequently, the glass plates 7 placed on the endlessbelt 85 are slightly strained, and are bend-broken along the cut lines22 and 72.

In the glass plate peripheral-edge grinding section 5, the vacuumsucking units 132 and 133 suck under a vacuum and fix the glass plates 7from the glass plate bend-breaking section 4, and the grinding heads 123and 124 operate their respective electric motors 127 to rotate thegrinding wheels 126. In the state in which the grinding wheels 126 arerotating, the grinding-head moving device 125 moves the grinding heads123 and 124 in the X direction by means of the X-direction moving unit191, and moves the glass plates 7 fixed on the vacuum sucking units 132and 133 in the Y direction by means of the Y-direction moving unit 192.Consequently, the bend-broken edges 122 of the glass plates 7 fixed onthe vacuum sucking units 132 and 133 are subjected to preprogrammedgrinding and polishing by the grinding wheels 126. During the grindingand polishing operations, the center orienting device 127 is operated,and the grinding heads 123 and 124 are rotated such that the respectivecenters of rotation of the grinding wheels 126 of the grinding heads 123and 124 are located above the normal lines of the bend-broken edges 122at the grinding and polishing positions.

After the respective completion of formation of main cut lines on theglass plates 7 in the main cut-line forming section 3, the operation ofbend-breaking the glass plates 7 in the glass plate bend-breakingsection 4, and the operation of grinding and polishing the bend-brokenedges 122 in the glass plate peripheral-edge grinding section 5, thetransporting device 11 is operated again, and glass plates 7 on whichthe main cut lines are to be formed, glass plates 7 subject tobend-breaking, and glass plates 7 subject to grinding and polishing arenewly transported onto the supporting base 29, the endless belt 31, andthe vacuum sucking units 132 and 133, respectively. During the operationof the transporting device 11, as the endless belt 85 travels due to theoperation of the electric motor 91, the bend-broken scrap 95 (cullet)remaining on the endless belt 85 is fed toward the chute, and slides onthe chute so as to be discharged into the bend-broken-scrap storing box96.

In accordance with the above-described present invention, it is possibleto provide a glass-plate working apparatus which is capable ofconcurrently effecting the formation of a main cut line, bend-breaking,and peripheral-edge grinding with respect to a multiplicity of glassplates, thereby making it possible to reduce the working time andimprove productivity, and which is capable of effecting a multipleoperation in the bend-breaking section which requires a relatively longworking time, thereby making it possible to further reduce the workingtime and improve productivity.

I claim:
 1. A glass-plate working apparatus comprising:a glass platecarrying-in section; a main cut-line forming section disposed inproximity to said glass plate carrying-in section; a glass platebend-breaking section disposed in proximity to said main cut-lineforming section; a glass plate peripheral-edge grinding section disposedin proximity to said glass plate bend-breaking section; and a glassplate carrying-out section disposed in proximity to the glass plateperipheral-edge grinding section; each of said main cut-line formingsection, said glass plate bend-breaking section, and said glass plateperipheral-edge grinding section being arranged to concurrently processat least two glass plates; said main cut-line forming section includingat least two main cut-line forming heads and a first common movingdevice for relatively moving said at least two main cut-line formingheads with respect to the respective glass plates in an X-Y plane; saidglass plate bend-breaking section including at least two bend-breakingheads for the glass plates to be bend-broken, each of said bend-breakingheads having a cutter device for forming an edge cut-line on the glassplate and a press-breaking device for press-breaking the glass platealong the main cut-line and the edge cut-line, and a bend-breaking headmoving device for automatically moving each of said bend-breaking headsin correspondence with a corresponding one of the glass plates to bebend-broken in the X-Y plane; said glass plate peripheral-edge grindingsection including at least two grinding heads and a second common movingdevice for relatively moving said at least two grinding heads withrespect to the respective glass plates in the X-Y plane; said first andsecond common moving devices and said automatically bend-breaking headmoving device being disposed in the respective sections independently ofeach other such that said main cut-line forming heads, saidbend-breaking heads and said grinding heads are moved in the X-Y planeindependently of each other by means of the respective moving devices.2. A glass-plate working apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising a transporting device for concurrently transporting at leasttwo glass plates from said glass plate carrying-in section to said maincut-line forming section, from said main cut-line forming section tosaid glass plate bend-breaking section, from said glass platebend-breaking section to said glass plate peripheral-edge grindingsection, and from said glass plate peripheral-edge grinding section tosaid glass plate carrying-out section, respectively.
 3. A glass-plateworking apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said transporting deviceis constructed to transport the at least two glass plates arranged inseries in a transporting direction, and said main cut-line formingsection, said glass plate bend-breaking section, and said glass plateperipheral-edge grinding section are respectively arranged toconcurrently process the at least two glass plates arranged in series inthe transporting direction.
 4. A glass-plate working apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein each of said main cut-line forming heads is providedwith a cutter for forming a main cut-line by coming into contact withthe glass plate, and said main cut-line forming section is provided witha common blade orienting device for orienting a blade of each of saidcutters of said main cut-line forming heads in a main cut-line formingdirection.
 5. A glass-plate working apparatus according to claim 4,wherein said blade orienting device has a rotating device for rotatingeach of said main cut-line forming heads about an axis perpendicular toa plane of relative movement of each of said main cut-line forming headswith respect to the glass plate.
 6. A glass-plate working apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein each of said grinding heads is providedwith a grinding wheel for grinding a bend-broken edge when in contactwith the bend-broken edge of the glass plate while the wheel isrotating, and said glass plate peripheral-edge grinding section has acenter orienting device for orienting a center of rotation of each ofsaid grinding wheels in a tangential direction at a grinding point withrespect to the glass plate.
 7. A glass-plate working apparatus accordingto claim 6, wherein said center orienting device has a common rotatingdevice for rotating said grinding heads about an axis perpendicular to aplane of relative movement of said grinding heads with respect to theglass plate.